St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-08-06

AI SuiS JuuCtuI0 Iuc M0u WuO uo<
found Suarez in the ditch put in an ap
pearance and proceeded to relate in tn
most picturesque style. how he found ,
strange man with his skull fracture(
and his pockets turned inside out, lyin{
in the ditch. quite dead. He stated b.
went for assistance to the village, and
on inquiring At the inn there he hat
discovered that man dressed answer
ing the description of Suarez had beer
there and had displayed = quantity o
money. Having obtained assistance
he returned to the spot where he lef
the murdered stranger. but, instead o.
finding him. he discovered. that during
his absence, the body had been stripped
and removed. and. as he believed
buried. and the clothes were lying
scattered about the ditch.
Suarez listened to all with. an amused
smile, and when the man had finished
his story Suarez observed that the
group Of men were casting inquisitive
looks 1t him. and he heard the words
.'dollars'' and blood whispered
among the men. At length the man
who first approached Suarez left his
companions, and going out Of the inn
returned shortly after with : constable,
and without further ceremony handed
Suarez over in charge Of the Official.
who Immediately proceeded to search
his prisoner. When the prisoners purse
containing the money was produced
the man who found the murdered
stranger set up shout. and fixing his
eyes on the blood on the prisoners
face. said he was sure he was the MUIR
derer and robber. and at the proper
time would tell all about it. No as
scrtion or explanation Of Suarez could
serve him one jot, and he was finally
conveyed to the Jail and locked up.
The next day Suarez was conducted
after much peril into the presence Of
the village magistrate. His accuser
was placed before him. and in : blunt.
Straightforward manner told his story
how he was passing along the road;
how he found tho stranger with .
skull lying dead. and covered
with blood and brains; how he went for
assistance, and on his return found the
clothes scattered about and the body
removed. Suarez's own money and
his own blood on his face was given in
evidence against him; the story was
complete in all it, details, and the
investigation ended in the prisoner BE-
ing committed to the county Jail to
await trial for the willful murder Of .
person unknown. and the constable
was ordered to make diligent search
for the body.
Shortly after his commitment, as il
al circumstances conspired against
him, tho people. after an active search.
in discovering the body Of .
strange person, almost in . stale Of
nudity. in . canal. which ran along
the back of the town. upon which the
coroner sat in due form; and thus. to
the Satisfaction of his prosecutors. .
chain of evidence was made out suf6-
ciently strong to put Suarez - trial.
Let those good people. who preach
70 strongly in favor Of the comfortable
feelings arising from conscious in
nocence. and build SO much on inward
'ortitude. and who Join in the declar-
stion Of the poet that ''what is, is
ight"-let them place themselves for
! moment in Suarez's positiOn-let
hem feel the horrors of man charged
With his own murder, and unable to
convince the judges that he is actually
n existence. How obtuse are the in
elects Of many worthy people. who.
n the eager pursuit Of truth. hug to
heir hearts any 2ntic that may chance
0 assume the garb Of that rarely dis
'overed parsonage!
Already Suarez fancied in his gloomy
elections that he heard the Jury de-
lare him guilty; and in his dreams he
aw the fatal black cap placed over his
lead. Then he fancied he heard his
ast dying speech and confessions
hanted about the streets. and posted
n cottage walls, and children taught
rom reading them the necessity Of vir-
ne. Then horrors Of an ignominious
eath-the halter-the gallows-the
houts of ..m0nster." murderer" ETC.,
IL schoing around him in his imagina-
ion.
At length the accused man was
laced on trial. His own conviction Of
is personal identity was complete, but
vould it avail him any thing? The story
n which he had to depend was nothing
a the face Of the evidence to be i'd
uced. Should he b allowed to set up |
imseH as the murderd man. when the
vitness saw him dead. and the body
vas afterward found in the canale It |
vas contrary to common sense, and
vould. of course. be looked upon as the
desperate attempt Of the hardened
illain to bafiie the ends Of justice. The
rial proceeded. The audience shud-
ered as they heard the glaring fasts. |
Ind, oh! what looks Of horror and ~
roach were cast 1t the prisoner! Pref
dice. with her myriad ears. was gap
ng on. and gulping down the palpable
tory. The witnesses gave their evi-
ence with clearness and precision. The
andlord of the little public house where
uarez first stopped was called to prove
is having seen the dollars in the
ossession Of the murdered man when
{ his house. During al the previous
this man had never before
Doked 1t Suares face to lace; but when |
e was confronted with him he gave
n involuntary start. and seemed un-
bic to utter syllable He fixed his